Liberty Weekly Tribune, April 9, 1869

In this week’s issue of the Sentinel we have to perform the sad duty of reporting the death of John T. Pollard, its proprietor and senior editor.
After more than two months illness of typhoid fever, he died on Sunday morning, the 28th at about 7 o’clock a. m.
He was not considered dangerously ill until about ten days previous to his death. The best medical skill was brought into requisition, and at times high hopes of his recovery were indulged by his friends, alas, but to end in gloomy anticipations, and finally to be overwhelmed by his death.
His loss is deeply felt in our community. To his immediate associates it is a source of unfeigned sorrow, and to his family an irreparable calamity; for he was a worthy citizen, a true friend and a husband and father in the dearest and holiest acceptation of those terms.
We feel that we need make no apology when we say that among the last intelligible ideas he conveyed, was the recognition of the hand of a brother n token of friendship---of the kiss of his wife as the seal of affection, and of Christ as Saviour by the utterance of the words, “Jesus” and Heaven,” in audible though stammering accents.
He was buried with Masonic honors on the day following his death.
Mr. Pollard was born in Owen county, Kentucky, in the year 1833; came with his father to Missouri when quite a boy; remained with him in Monroe county, alternately attending school and working on a farm. At this period of his life he acquired a passion for reading and study, and finally became a student and teacher at William Jewell College. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He located at Harrisonville, Cass county, in this State; became a member of the Baptist church, and, demeaning himself as a consistent Christian, was chosen to the office of a Deacon in that church a short time before his death. He was engaged in the practice of his profession at the breaking out of the war, and was married to Mrs. E. E. Snyder, of Harrisonville, in June, 1861. After the close of the war, in 1865, he returned to Harrisonville, and in February, 1867, left that place and located at Independence. He became the proprietor of the Independence Sentinel in October 1867, and up to the time of his last illness was actively engaged in the performance of the duties of his responsible position.
Though he had to contend with a feeble constitution, and was often troubled with ill health, his life was one of active usefulness; battling manfully against these infirmities, he was struck down in the prime of life by the remorseless hand of death, and, as it would seem to us, prematurely gathered to his fathers. But thou, O. God, doest all things well, and we bow submissively to thy chastening rod.